OFHP 1-7 - Oak Forest Site
In the Summer of 1958, the Oak Forest Infirmary superintendent launched a massive renovation project building a new twenty-five acre cemetery next to the old potter's field. It was designed to contain twelve thousand separate graves. During this renovation, archeological research produced the mapping of an entire Indian village that was formerly on the site. The Native American Oak Forest site is perhaps the most culturally significant place on the property. Despite this important discovery, no Indian burial ground was found.
The site is a large Mississippian/Historic Native American village, the Oak Forest site, recorded in the northeast corner of the Forest Preserve Parcel in 1958. This excavation allowed archaeologists to map eight Native American houses and completely excavate one. The excavation included larger features, such as storage pits for maize or seeds, fire pits, house pits, and post holes, and a substantial amount of ceramic (prehistoric pottery), lithic (chert stone tools and by-products of stone tool manufacture, boiling stones for cooking, etc.), and faunal material (animal bone). An iron object and an unusual carved marine shell duck ornament, possibly from the contact period (approximately 1600 – 1763) was also found. The houses uncovered are similar to others found at sites dating to approximately the same time period. The houses ranged from 25 to 47. 5 feet in length and from 12 to 15 feet wide and were outlined by a large number of small postholes with a few larger postholes down the center. The pattern of post suggests that these houses were made of slender saplings driven into the ground and bent over and tied together in the center, forming an oval, dome shaped structure. This framework may have been covered with matting or bark, although no evidence of the covering was found in the excavation. In 1978, during construction of two IDOT maintenance buildings just north of the site of the 1958 excavations, artifacts from those explorations were further studied and identified by Richard Maryonovich, then an assistant architect at the hospital. In 1979 a team of archaeologists from Northwestern University conducted further excavations on the IDOT property. The primary goals of these excavations were to collect a sample of plant and animals remains that might shed light on whether the site was used as a summer village or a seasonal camp. Over 150 pit features were excavated and substantial amounts of ceramics, lithics, and plant and animal remains were recovered from the site, in addition to a few European manufactured trade items (one bead, several pieces of brass, and a piece of iron). Radiocarbon dates and artifacts suggest that the site was occupied sometime between A.D. 1425 and A.D. 1625, and that the site was a warm-weather agricultural village. Given the number of houses and pit features, it is quite likely that additional significant archaeological remains are present.
The Cache:
On your way to the cache, make a stop at the informative sign which highlights what is below the surface of the land you are on. Notice some of the trenches in the area that were used for archeological study.
Large Lock & Lock with enough room for trackables and items for trade. *There is a Sacagawea $1 coin for the first to find.*
Parking:
Visitors can enter the Oak Forest Heritage Preserve off 159th Street, through the Medical Center's main entrance, and follow the signs (just tell security that you are visiting the Heritage Preserve). Parking is also available through the parking lot on Fieldcrest Drive just off of Pulaski or at the Fieldcrest Park parking lot.
Notes:
- Bring your camera! This is a beautiful preserve with a lot of wildlife, history, and many informative signs.
- This is a forest preserve and I suggest bug repellent and long pants. Watch for poison ivy, although I tried to place all caches away from it, you may run into it. There are also ticks in the area.
- This series can be done walking, running, or biking.
- Dogs are allowed, but must be leashed at all times.
- Do not place the following items in the Geocache: Food items, inappropriate, offensive, or hazardous materials.
- Hours are sunrise until sunset. Preserve users must not be in the preserves after hours.
Please remember, it’s not an official find until you log it online.